Yaya Toure is resisting the Ivory Coast’s attempts to lure him out of international retirement in a bid to land a new deal at Manchester City.

Toure called time on playing for his country last September after winning his 102nd cap, just six months after helping them win the African Cup of Nations for the first time in 24 years.

But Mark Wilmots has made bringing the midfielder back into the fold his top priority since becoming coach in March and has enlisted the help of Toure’s brother Kolo to persuade the 33-year-old to bolster the bid to qualify for the World Cup in Russia.